Dates

Catégories

Many African countries experience a context in which society is constantly faced against the State or private corporations. In this situation, civil society organizations become key players into continent’s political chessboard. Acting in various fields and often seeking non-traditional forms of organization, they pose new challenges to their analysis and interpretation. To meet these defiances, the Centro de Estudos Internacionais of the Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (CEI-IUL) promote between 12th and 13th January 2017, the International Conference Activisms in Africa, which will discuss the new profiles of social activism in Africa and the perspectives of change they bring.

Annonce

Argument

In a rapidly changing continent in which the states often act insufficiently to meet the needs of their populations, the association of civil society movements are critically important. African governors act like despotic rulers, usually abusing of concentration of power, using violence as an instrument of social control and denying fundamental rights for their citizens and persons under their jurisdiction.

In such adverse situation, social activism movements act as demanding movements and so as a resistance to the state action. Acting in different fields, these movements play a crucial role to ensure recognition of fundamental rights enshrined into national constitutions.

These movements have an extensive activity: defending social minorities, claiming for decent work conditions, pursuing recognition for political minorities or marginalized groups, the civil society activisms occupy an increasingly relevant space on the African political scene.

Organized in non-traditional ways, they use new technologies – specially the social networks and mobile communications – to reach larger amounts of public with their actions. Playing a role of resistance, but also transformation, in permanent shifting.

Themes

The panels proposed should be related to one of themes that follows

Human Rights Activism

Activism and Citizenship Exercise

Environmental Activism

Gender and LGBTI Activism

Activism and Peasant Movement

Activism in Health

The Scientific Commission will decide about the panels to be accepted.